Does Kylo Ren have BPD? (+7 Signs and symptoms)

In this detailed post, we will be explaining if Kylo Ren has BPD. We will also discuss the various signs and symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder that Kylo Ren exhibits. Finally, we will take a look at the causal factors which could have led to these issues in Kylo Ren.

Does Kylo Ren have BPD?

Yes, Kylo Ren has BPD. Although this is not confirmed by the creators of the ‘Star Wars’ franchise, it is commonly discussed in fan forums and even mental health expert roundtables that Kylo Ren indeed has Borderline Personality Disorder.

In the Star Wars sequel trilogy where Kylo Ren appears, mainly as an antagonist, Kylo Ren demonstrates a number of signs and symptoms that he indeed is struggling with Borderline Personality Disorder. Some of the characteristic signs that he shows are discussed as follows,

He has a distorted sense of self

Kylo Ren certainly has a distorted sense of self and shows signs of poor ego development. He constantly tries his best to model himself after others whom he looks up to, especially his grandfather, Darth Vader.

Kylo Ren’s original name is Ben Solo and he changes it to fit his new villainous character after his thirst for power leads him over to the dark side. He even changes his appearance and his outfit to all-black, further displaying his very poor sense of self.

A distorted self-image is often seen in Borderline Personality Disorder and often causes even more emotional and mental distress in the person. As a result, the person may often change their principles and their morals, just like Kylo Ren.

He shows chronic feelings of emptiness

At certain instances during his appearances, Kylo Ren can be seen expressing his chronic feelings of emptiness. Chronic feelings of emptiness are another characteristic sign of Borderline Personality Disorder.

These feelings of emptiness originally drive him to pursue more power to fill the void in his heart and his life. However, they are also present even after he becomes the most feared leader in the Dark Side, showing the potency of the BPD present in Kylo Ren.

He kills his own father

Kylo Ren kills his own father, Han Solo with his ‘crossguard lightsaber.’ This definitely was one of the most painful moments to watch on screen for many Han Solo fans. Kylo Ren does this to basically prove a point to Snoke.

Kylo Ren wanted to please Snoke so much so that he killed his own father to prove that he was indeed fully committed to the Dark Side. This not only proves how dangerously impulsive Kylo Ren can be, but also goes to show how much he valued Snoke.

Interestingly enough, it is only after Kylo Ren kills his own father, that he starts showing a softer and empathetic nature, which made many fans assume that his redemption arc started from this point onward.

He is truly prone to violence

Kylo Ren is definitely prone to violence, especially when he is angry. He, at many times, is definitely a lot more dangerous than Darth Vader himself, his own grandfather. Kylo Ren is different from others in the Dark Side in the fact that he has fashioned his own weapons.

Kylo Ren is mostly known for the ‘crossguard lightsaber’ which consists of two blades. He fashions this when he goes over to the Dark Side, using a special crystal. However, when he comes back to the Light Side, he rids himself of it, throwing it into the ocean.

He also has his eyes set on another lightsaber which originally belonged to Darth Vader himself, and basically uses this weapon to kill his leader in the Supremacy. Kylo Ren also uses a variety of blasters and armors, going to show his violent and reckless side.

He has a fear of abandonment

Kylo Ren additionally shows a fear of abandonment, towards not just one but several people in his story arc. He primarily shows this fear of abandonment to his caretakers, and even to Rey whom he has a romantic relationship with.

He changes his perception of Rey

Kylo Ren’s perception of Rey changes and swings from extreme to extreme. In one instance, Kylo slops praise after praise on Rey, and immediately tells her she means nothing to him. This changing of perceptions of a person is quite common in Borderline Personality Disorder.

He shows self-harming behaviors

Kylo Ren also shows self-harming behaviors and tendencies in his story arc. The self-harming that Kylo Ren depicts is not to hurt himself, but in fact to bring him closer to the Dark Side. It can be seen in instance when Chewbacca injures Kylo Ren.

After the injury, Kylo Ren can be seen hitting the injured part of his body over and over again, mainly to feel the pain. This has been attributed to the actual darkness of the Dark Side which basically thrives on pain and fear.

It has been discussed by fan forums that Kylo Ren wanted to essentially become one with the Dark Side and tries to do so by inflicting more pain on himself by hitting the part of his body which was already seriously injured.

This self-harming behavior of Kylo Ren not only goes to show how much he badly wanted to get the power and the authority from the Dark Side, but also that he is not afraid to hurt himself physically if it gets him across to something that he desires.

Causes of Kylo Ren’s BPD

Kylo Ren, from Star Wars, has been touted by many people to have Borderline Personality Disorder. This has been concluded by many fans and critics of the show who have felt that the character matches most of the signs of BPD from his actions.

Borderline Personality Disorder, just like many other personality disorders, does not have a definite causal factor. However, one important contributing factor is family history of this personality disorder.

For Kylo Ren, this causal factor seems to stick the best since his grandfather Anakin Skywalker also depicted signs and symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder. Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader surely matched the impulsivity, the abandonment issues, and other signs of BPD.

It also didn’t help that the main role model for Kylo Ren was Darth Vader himself. Kylo Ren adored and admired Darth Vader ever since he was a child and even wanted to use Anakin’s lightsaber.

Toxic role models like Darth Vader could have also easily led Kylo Ren to develop borderline traits and symptoms, and also easily accept them as a part of him, since his own grandfather became legendary despite these traits.

From Ben Solo, Kylo Ren slowly developed into such a villainous character due to his thirst for power and excellence, which also drove Anakin Skywalker to his dire state. Fortunately, for Kylo Ren, he got a major chance at redemption which made many fans and critics happy.

Conclusion

In this detailed post, we have explained if Kylo Ren has BPD. We have also discussed the various signs and symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder that Kylo Ren exhibits. Finally, we have taken a look at the causal factors which could have led to these issues in Kylo Ren.

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